CHP Offers “Start Smart” Teen Driver Education Class

Source: California Highway Patrol

A teenager is killed in a traffic accident collision every four hours nationwide.  That equates to more than 1,870 teenagers killed each year.  Another 184,000 teenagers are injured in traffic collisions.  These deaths and injuries can be substantially reduced or prevented by eliminating high-risk driving behaviors through education.  The California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) “Start Smart” program can help prevent these tragedies.

The Start Smart program focuses on providing comprehensive traffic safety education classes for teenagers and their parents.  Revised by the CHP in 2014, Start Smart employs innovative techniques to capture the attention of teenagers and parents, providing a lasting experience.  The curriculum includes information on collisions statistics, teen driver and passenger behaviors, graduated driver license (GDL) laws, cultural changes in today’s society, and the need for stronger parental involvement in a teenager’s driving experience.

 “A driver license comes with a tremendous amount or responsibility,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.  “Start Smart prepares new drivers and their parents for the challenges that lie ahead.  Ultimately, the goal is to save lives by producing safe drivers through education.”

Parents and teenagers can sign up for a free Start Smart class, by calling (805) 967-1234.  This class is approximately 1 ½ hours long.  Start Smart will be held on August 09, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.